Presidential Polls: ADC Must Present Its Strongest, Most Prepared; Not Its Loudest – Atiku Warns

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Ahead of its presidential primaries, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emphasized the imperative of the opposition Coalition platform the African Democratic Congress, ADC, settling for what he described as  “a winner”, and not “an  experimental candidate” for the general elections.

The ADC is billed to conduct its presidential primaries on Monday 25, 2026, to select among three aspirants- Atiku, immediate past Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen, a former Bank Managing Director, who will fly its flag.

In a statement on Sunday May 24, 2026, signed by Phrank Shuaibu his spokesperson, Atiku cautioned against fielding a neophyte , insisting that Nigeria, at the moment cannot afford to have what he termed “a learning-on-the-job Presidency.”

He noted that the country is already battling with some teething and even existential  problems, including economic hardship, insecurity, mounting debt profile and institutional collapse, and as such will  need the services of an experienced presidency.

“At a time when Nigeria is bleeding from every pore, crippled by economic hardship, insecurity, rising debt, institutional failure, and deepening hopelessness, the question before the ADC is simple: who has the capacity not merely to campaign, but to govern effectively from day one?

“This is not a season for political experimentation. Nigeria cannot afford a learning-on-the-job Presidency.

“What the country needs is someone who has negotiated globally, created jobs through enterprise, managed national crises, built coalitions and consistently articulated a practical roadmap for economic recovery and national renewal”, Atiku stated.

This was as he urged ADC delegates to prioritize electability and governance capacity in their choice of a candidate.

Particularly, he cautioned against placing undue consideration on some mundane variables, especially sentiments in the process of making a choice for the party’s candidate.

“At this defining moment, ADC delegates must ask themselves a simple but profound question: do we want to make a statement, or do we want to make a president?

“Nigeria is not merely facing economic hardship; it is grappling with devastating consequences of catastrophic economic choices, deepening insecurity and institutional decay. This is not the season for sentiment or political experimentation .

“Elections are not won on social media enthusiasm alone. Governance is not performance art. The presidency is not a platform for improvisation.

“The ADC must present to Nigerians its strongest, most credible, most prepared candidate, not merely its loudest.

“This is a defining election. The party needs a candidate with national acceptability, political resilience, tested structures, and the capacity to unify disparate interests into one winning coalition”, Atiku asserted.